Colton Ledbetter doubled in a three-run ninth inning, but the comeback fell short for the Bowling Green Hot Rods in a 6-5 loss to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws on Thursday at ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood, New Jersey.

The BlueClaws (11-13) began the scoring in the bottom of first inning off Hot Rods starter Duncan Davitt. Justin Crawford singled to right and Otto Kemp walked to put runners on first and second. After moving up to second on a groundout, Crawford and Kemp came around to score on a base hit by Jordan Dissin to put Jersey Shore up 2-0. 

Bowling Green (13-11) answered back in the top of the second against Jersey Shore starter Estibenzon Jimenez. Jhon Diaz clobbered a solo home run over the right-field wall, cutting into the lead, 2-1.

Another run came around to score in the bottom of the second for Jersey Shore against Davitt. Erick Brito and Cade Fergus worked back-to-back walks with one out. Crawford reached on a bunt single, loading the bases. Kemp hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Brito, extending the BlueClaws lead, 3-1.

The offense responded for Bowling Green in the top of the third with Jimenez still on the mound. Brayden Taylor earned a leadoff walk. Cooper Kinney drove a triple to right-center, scoring Taylor to make it a 3-2 game. 

After Jersey Shore scored a run in the bottom of the fourth, the BlueClaws scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth and eighth. Crawford drove in a run in the sixth on a single and Brito recorded a RBI base hit in the eighth.

Down 6-2, the Hot Rods rallied against BlueClaws reliever Charles King in the top of the ninth. Ryan Spikes and Chandler Simpson hit back-to-back singles, while Kinney walked to load the bases. Ledbetter launched a double to center, moving Kinney to third and scoring Spikes and Simpson to make it 6-4. Kamren James scored Kinney on an RBI groundout but went scoreless the rest of the way to lose, 6-5.

Jimenez (1-4) notched the win, allowikng two runs on six hits, three walks and five strikeouts over five innings. Davitt (1-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits, four walks and tallying five strikeouts over four frames.

The Hot Rods and the BlueClaws play game four of a six-game series on Friday with first pitch set for 5:35 p.m. CT. Bowling Green starts right-hander Roel Garcia (1-0, 3.31), while Jersey Shore starts Eiberson Castellanos (0-1, 3.39).